William a



UNIT D STATE PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. KRAG, OF INDIANAPQLIS, INDIANA,

COFFEE ORTEA CANQ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N6. 352,195, dated November 9', 1886.

Application filed July 1, 1886. Serial No. 206,834]

Indianapolis, Marion county, Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coffee or Tea Cans, &c., of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to that class of cans in which cofl'ees,teas, and other goods are packed in quantities, and which have discharge-openings near the bottom for withdrawing small portions of the contents at a time for retailing;

and my invention consists of such a can,,sealed at the top,with one or more partitions or flaps so arranged as to permit the free downward flow of the contents of the can,and yet prevent the can from being refilled from the bottom.

In the drawings,Figure 1 isa sectional elevation of a sales-can illustrating my invention. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are sectional views showing different arrangements of the part-itions. V

The body A of the can isfcylindrieal, rectangular, or of any other desired shape. The filling-opening is at the top of the can, but is hermetically sealed after the can is filled, or the can is filled before the top is secured'in place. The discharge-opening bis at the bottom of the can, at one side, so as to be accessible when the can is standing upon its bottom 0, there being preferably an inclined guard or flange, d, projecting forward from the lower edge of the opening I), to prevent the contents of the can from running out of the opening, while permitting a scoop to be readily introduced to withdraw a portion of the contents. The flange 01 may be hinged to close the opening 1) when the can is not in use.

For transportation, the opening I) is closed by a suitable plug or stopper, as shown in Fig. 3. p

Dealers engaged in selling special brands of coffee, tea, &e., are injured after the contents of the cans. are exhausted by the said cans being refilled with an inferior article and sold.

To prevent this reuse of the cans, I divide the (ModeL) opened without fracturing and disfiguring the can. The partitions or flaps may be differently arranged to secure this result.

In the can shown in'Fig. 1 there is a fixed partition, 6, and a hinged flap or partition, f. The partition eis inclined from the rear downward, leaving a space or channel, Z, between the lower edge and front of the can, and the flapfis hinged at the front end and inclines downward and rests on a bearing, i, leaving a space, y, ,between the rear edge and the back of the can.

When the can isin the position shown in Fig. 1, the contents can pass freely downward to the opening b,- but if the can is inverted the flap will fall onto the partition e'and seal the opening or passage Z, so that the can cannot be filled from the bottom. Even if the partitions ef were fixed,it would be almostimpossible or extremely difficult t-o entirely fill the can. I In Fig. 2 the partitionsare equal in size,and extend from opposite sides towardthe center, and are fixed, the contents passing freely downward through the opening Z, but the partition obstructing any reverse flow. A'hinged flap, 9, may be hung from the lower edge of partition f, if desired, and would close the passage Z were the attempt made to fill the can from the bottom; but I may omit the flap g and use the two fixed partitions only.

' In Fig. 4 the flap-partitionfis hinged to the fixed partition e, to close the passage Z when the can is inverted. I

In Fig. 3 there is a single flap or hinged partition falling against a stop, t, to leave a passage, Z, andwhen the can is inverted swinging in the opposite direction until its end strikes the back of the can'and closes the passage.

Without limiting myself to any specialform of can or arrangement of partitions or flaps, I .claim- 1. A sales-can sealed permanently at the top, having an opening at the bottom,and provided with one or more partitions arranged within the body of the can, to permit the free passage of the contents of the can to the bottom-opening, but to obstruct the passage from the latter into the can, substantially as and for the purtion and a movable flap, and having the top sealed, and adischarge-opening at the bottom, all arranged to permit a free passage for the contents to the discharge-opening, and to obstriict the passage in a reverse direction, substantially as described.

3. A sales-can provided with a contracted passage within the body of the can for the downward flow of the contents, with a lower discharge-openingand with aloose flap whereby the passage is closed when the can is inverted, substantially as described.

4. The sales-can having the body A,sealed at the top, and with an opening, b, at the lower 

